The Coffee Review.

by Dreke Verkuylen | 12:40 pm 11/07/2010

In the interest of eliminating student indecision regarding the wide variety of cafés in Dunedin, Critic has compiled a review of some of the more prominent coffee houses around campus and town. While this may leave some uneasiness in the stomachs of connoisseurs, in the interest of appealing to the masses, the review was conducted based on a regular flat white. Flat whites on the reg, getting drunk on the reg, fuckin’ good times on the reg, yachts on the reg, sex on the reg. You get the idea.

Lex’s

$3.50

Exactly the right temperature. Good flavour, perfectly creamy and a full taste.

Good banter – had a big discussion about the use of sugar in coffee, apparently in the ‘70s two sugars was the status quo, likened to smoking in the ‘40s. 

4/5

Fluid

$4.00

Could be warmer, and the milk was somewhat strangely flavoured. Nice fresh atmosphere, although seating was limited. Overall, a good flavour, and standard pricing. 

And to make the visit more entertaining, some old bird loudly exclaimed, “Fuck me! These are the smallest pieces of slice I’ve ever seen.” Left Critic amused.

3/5

Union Grill

$3.00

A terrible coffee. No balance between the milk and the coffee itself – the poor flavour was overpowering, and based on previous experience, the milk was either burnt of under-heated. At least they use Fair Trade beans. 

Critic would never recommend going here purely for coffee; however, it’s a pretty convenient luncheon destination, with the bonus of being able to catch the tube from the sanctity of a booth.

0/5

Good Oil

$4 .00

Good aroma, but an overpowering coffee taste, meaning it lacked balance with the milk. The drink was also too frothy for a flat white, flirting with the realm of the latte. 

As a café Good Oil is one of the better ones in town and the place to be seen. The relatively recent addition of the extra room means more seating, in an excellent setting.

3/5

Everyday Gourmet

$4.00

This one had a strange aroma – it smelled like burnt coffee, rather than roasted. Despite this the drink had a good balance, though it lacked overall flavour. It didn’t leave Critic feeling satisfied – perhaps a result of slightly burnt coffee.

Everyday Gourmet had friendly service accompanied by some smooth jazz. The downstairs seating provides a more intimate setting for those early-in-the-piece coffee dates.

3.5/5

Strictly Coffee Company

$3.50

A decent enough aroma, but nowhere near warm enough and far too bitter. Sugar would be required to make this more drinkable. It was a disappointment compared to drinks bought here before.

The venue is nothing special, but the quick, friendly service and a good level of chat from the barista were appreciated.

2/5

Modaks Espresso

$3.50

Modaks’ flat white had a burnt popcorn-esque bouquet. It did have a good froth distribution, though, rather than tending towards a latte like many others. It was slightly milky but was overall a manageable coffee. 

As always, the décor was interesting and the service friendly and efficient.

2.5/5

The Fix

$3.50

An interesting chocolatey aroma to this cuppa. Good temperature, and a nice balanced flavour.

Quick service with a smile, and an outdoor courtyard for those balmier days. Critic endorses the BYO food option, as it’s a great place to take your sammies and grab a cup o’ joe. 

4/5

Mazagran Espresso Bar

Amazing aroma and a perfect flat white texture. This could just be the ideal cup of coffee, expertly made by the ever-cheerful Karen. Mazagran knows their coffee.

A quaint location on Moray Place provides an intimate setting, with limited seating indoors and out. Critic recommends stopping here for a coffee while taking in the area’s op shops and art galleries. 

4.5/5

Mazagran narrowly sneaks through as the winner of the review for twenty ten. Critic managed to sample some great coffee in between suffering through some shockers.

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